The View

[Toby]

I'm guessing that they go to Elisabeth because they know she'll be the one with the conservative (and probably only counter) argument. I was just thinking this morning while watching that I've gotta hand it to her, knowing that I'd go into work every day and have to defend my opinions as adamantly as she does would get exhausting. I admire her for that (although I rarely agree with her viewpoint).

Also, I'm not yet getting tired of the political debates - that's what going on in our country and that's what I would want them to be talking about.

[barefootdyke]

Am I the only one who is VERY annoyed with the constant bickering over politics on this show?...

i'm sick of the political discussions too ... there's plenty of other stuff going on in the world that they can discuss.

[SavhLaney]

Elisabeth is far and away my favorite of the panelists. I would love to actually hear what she has to say without joyless Joy interrupting her with some annoying babble.

I wanted to hear what Sherri and Elisabeth had to say about the Purity Ball and Joy totally ruined the conversation.

[prhoshay]

I'm not in favor of a boring show or a boring discussion of anything, really; that is not to say that I like all of the overtalk and yelling over each other. I'd prefer animated talk...one person at a time. While I fully appreciate what Whoopi has brought to the table, and her style of communication, I would not want everybody to be just like her. Variety is truly the spice of life. If it was trustworthy, I would be in favor of having the mics of the people who don't have the floor cut off when it's not their turn to hold forth. Of course, that may not even be a reasonable suggestion, but when you want to hear what everybody has to say...you grasp at straws when trying to figure out how to get that done.

I am a person who is not afraid of/intimidated by a lively discussion, and politics can be at the top of my list. These are the kinds of things that some of my friends really get into, so seeing it on The View really is fun for me. Do we always play nice(?).....not necessarily. Do we always love each other(?).....heck yes! There is nothing like that mental stimulation!! There are only so many recipes, fashions, kid crap, celebrity crapola that we can talk about without deciding to split off and look for a more lively discussion....and we don't, usually, all agree...which is wonderful!!

[causingchaos]

For the most part I stopped watching the View because in my college classes it's political discussion on top of political discussion. So when I get the opportunity to watch daytime TV I want some other other debate topics. Although, some of the racism discussions were interesting on the view, I have to admit that.

But it's like the same topic over and over when I happen to catch the show and I'm just kind of over listening to them rehash it regardless of whose side they are on. I don't particularly care whose side they are one either, it's starting to get annoying regardless of side.

There are numerous other real world issues out there to discuss that don't involve celebrity gossip and that don't have to do devolve into a political tyraid. I wish they would do that once in awhile (when I can catch the show).

[girlsmom]

I guess I feel that if they're going to have constant political discussion than there should be more of an attempt to LISTEN to each other and be somewhat fair. Joy has been too vitriolic and condescending for my taste and it obscures the true points. I otherwise would love true political debate, again, just not constant infantile RANTING. I feel that Sherrie is useless in terms of politcal opinions and there needs to be a moderate opinion. Of course, I myself am an Independent and I'm sick of the polarization of the two parties. The process is getting more and more broken and this sort of public dysfunctional discourse does NOT help anything. To get serioius for a moment: We need to listen MORE and cooperate MORE with each other, not less, if the political process is to get back on track. There is rarely a presidential candidate nowadays whom I really care to vote for, just the better of two evils. I want to see genuine change and that takes listening to each other, not vilifying each other. I'm not an all black or all white person, I feel the truth and the solutions are often between the two. jmho

[Veruka]

My feelings on the use of political debates on the show depends on how I look at them. I've always thought the intent of The View was to present a taste of topics America is talking about, and offer up a few perspectives on those topics. In that respect, I enjoy the political discusions, because I think they are a reflection of what America is talking about.

That said, I do not think the discussions are balanced, and I don't find most of them informative. I don't consider their discussion to be equivilient of round table discussions on shows like Special Report, Meet the Press, and This Week. If THAT is the sort of discussion they're going for, then I think they're failing miserably. But I'm willing to bet that more discussions around tables in coffee shops and local bistros sound like the ones on The View (not incredibly well-informed, failing to listen to all points of view, etc) than the ones that happen on real news programs with discussion segments.

[ParkerMadison]

I must say it amazes me that some people, even other than in this thread, are willing to put a huge halo over BW's head. Personally, I think that woman is a shark...and shark's are known to kill; she's been around as long as she has for a reason. I've never let that little demure form and voice fool me. I guess we all believe what we want.

I agree.

[SavhLaney]

So, any thoughts on Denise Richards today? I feel that it was a very awkward interview. There is just something about her that rubs me the wrong way. Heck, she even made Charlie Sheen a sympathetic figure.

[VanJagSol]

Yes, it was a very awkward interview. TMI really.

And I usually enjoy Sherri but today it was going a little too long with her ideal man. I was thinking it was Star all over again.